Alep Beis Questions

Sunshine

Sun, May 15 2005, 1:01 pm

1) Why in the nusach ari siddur(Lubavitch) where it has the aleph beis chart does it not include the letter lainger kof? I would understand if it didn't have the beis, kof,pey, tof. Since it does have those 4 letters, which are the same as the vais, chof, phay and sof minus the dot inside why not also have the lainger kof which is the same as the lainger chof minus the dot? Also when singing the aleph beis I have never heard it being included in any of the tunes I have heard.

2) What is the correct way to pronounce the letter 3 (sorry don't know how to use hebbrew font)? I have heard ppl call it tzadik-majority, but heard others call it tzadie(they say this is the correct way althought not well known).

Motek

Sun, May 15 2005, 1:13 pm

1) because it's considered one letter and that there are a total of five "ende" letters (chof, mem, nun, pei, tzadik)

2) the name is "tzadi" but traditionally it is called "tzaddik"

Sunshine

Sun, May 15 2005, 1:25 pm

Quote:

1) because it's considered one letter and that there are a total of five "ende" letters (chof, mem, nun, pei, tzadik)

Why is this considered one letter while the others are counted as 2?

Quote:

2) the name is "tzadi" but traditionally it is called "tzaddik"

Why? When you teach a child the name of this letter do you say it is a tzadi or tzadik?

gryp

Sun, May 15 2005, 1:37 pm

Quote:

Why is this considered one letter while the others are counted as 2?

Sunshine- I think lainger chaf and lainger kaf is the same letter, its just a difference of a nekudah.

about tzadi and tzaddik, I used to have teachers that said both, and it wasnt a big deal. I would teach tzaddik because thats the way I was taught.

Motek

Sun, May 15 2005, 1:38 pm

Quote:

Why is this considered one letter while the others are counted as 2?

there are 22 letters in the alef-beis and that's without veis, sof, ende letters

beis, kof, pei, and tav are part of the 22, as is kaf

you are comparing the long kaf with a dot to the beis, kof, pei, and tav but they are not comparable

this is getting confusing but hope I can make sense out of this!

Quote:

Why? When you teach a child the name of this letter do you say it is a tzadi or tzadik?

traditionally, we teach it as "tzadik" even though the technical name of the letter is 'tzadi'

why? because each letter of the alef-beis also means something and the letter tzadi is associated with the tzaddik

sarahd

Sun, May 15 2005, 1:46 pm

I heard that the reason people pronounce it "tzaddik" is because the letters go tzadi-kuf-resh, etc. and people slurred the tzadi into the kuf.

Tefila

Sun, May 15 2005, 3:20 pm

Sarahd now that makes sense 8)

Sunshine

Sun, May 15 2005, 3:35 pm

That is interesting! When a kid points to a letter, as apposed to singing a song, does he then say tzadie?

Motek

Sun, May 15 2005, 3:57 pm

the traditional way is to say tzaddik

I read that in Stolin, the children are taught to call the "ende tzaddik" - "groise tzaddik!"

TzenaRena

Mon, Aug 15 2005, 6:30 am

Sunshine wrote:

That is interesting! When a kid points to a letter, as apposed to singing a song, does he then say tzadie?

Motek wrote:

the traditional way is to say tzaddik

I read that in Stolin, the children are taught to call the "ende tzaddik" - "groise tzaddik!"

I looked up in Sefer HaErchim ( Encyclopedia of Chassidus) Maareches Oisiyos, on the Ois Tzaddik and struck gold. There are 15 columns devoted to the letter tzaddik, and its many meanings, according to Chassidus and Kabbalah. It brings down from Zohar "you are Tzadi and you are Tzaddik", and as we see both versions are correct, but as we will see ( after I post the sicha indicated further) there is a holy dimension to calling this letter tzaddik.

Tzaddik indicates many things. here is a brief introduction. the nine sefiros of z"a. the sefirah of yesod. the sefirah of malchus, keser of malchus, or chesed of malchus, hod of malchus. The form of the tzaddik - an inverted yud upon a nun shows: the yud which is upon the nun shows an upper state of being - the state of daas elyon...since the yud is inverted, it stands backwards in relation to the nun - shows on bechinas achorayim, which has several explanations, 1. the unification of yesod and malchus, the unification of chochma and binah of tohu. , mochin of yenikah,

the madreiga of tzadik, which is below the madrega of a baal teshuvah, which is why the form of the letter indicates bechinas achorayim - because through teshuvah we bring down from the state of pnimiyus, , whereas the tzaddikim bring down only from bechinas achorayim Even so, the letter tzaddik, indicates on the tzmicha and aliya of the tzaddik to the madrega of baal teshuva.

Even though the terms mentioned are from Chassidic mysticism which not all are familiar with these deep concepts, I think one thing comes across, the kedusha of these osiyos and the secrets they contain. It inspires a new respect in us for the kedusha with which we should teach children the Aleph Bais.

My husband referred me to this sicha: (8 Nissan, Shabbos Hagadol, 5751)
printed in Kuntres "Tzaddik LaMelech 5752" bilti mugha
also Sefer HaSichos TiNoSai ( 5751) vol. 1, edited : synopsis will follow b'ezras Hashem (free translation).

baby's mom

Mon, Aug 15 2005, 10:26 am

sarahd wrote:

I heard that the reason people pronounce it "tzaddik" is because the letters go tzadi-kuf-resh, etc. and people slurred the tzadi into the kuf.

same here!

TzenaRena

Mon, Aug 15 2005, 4:32 pm

The kuf is not unintentionally "slurred" I.e. a sort of uninformed mistake that unwittingly found its way in and became the tradition. (perhaps like some Yiddish derivatives of Hebrew names). On the contrary, the kuf is intentionally annexed to the tzaddi-k to form the word tzaddik, bringing out the deeper meaning of this letter.* The proximity of the tzaddik to the kuf is also no accident, ch'v. These are the letters with which Hakodosh Baruch Hu gave the Torah, and created the world. There is nothing haphazard about any aspect of them!

*One of the sources quoted is the Zohar Hakadosh.

TzenaRena

Mon, Aug 15 2005, 5:44 pm

from the sicha of 8 Nissan,Shabbos HaGadol 5751( in proximity to the birthday and nintieth year of the Rebbe Shlita: the Rebbe spoke about the kapitel Tehillim tzaddik - Tefillah L'Moshe. In connection with this, the Rebbe explained the numerical value of tzaddik - ninety and its significance : it is 3x30, which is the complete fulfillment in chazakah, and implies permanence and eternity.

Then the Rebbe gave an entire discourse on the letter tzaddik. "The usual way that Chazal etc. write the letter(in its entire spelled out form) is tzaddi- without a kuf at the end. And in several places, it is written tzaddik ( one joins to the tzaddi the letter which is after this - kuf), which this is connected with the level of a tzaddik, in the category of yesod, as it states (mishlei 10,25) tzaddik yesod olam.

It says in seforim (in accordance with the well known precision in all matters of the Torah, especially the holiness of the letters, that each letter in its entire form [spelled out) has a meaning), that tzaddi is from the terminology tzad, side. in accordance, it is understood that tzaddi means tzad sheli - my side.

One can explain this to mean in Divine service: Hashem created a person and the world in a manner in which there are two sides, "zeh leumas zeh", the side of Kedusha, and the tzad shekeneged - opposing side - the yetzer tov, and the yetzer hara. Since the Torah is the inheritance of every Jew, it is understood that "tzaddi" - my side, the side of a Jew is Torah and Mitzvos, the halachic rulings of the torah of how a Jew is supposed to conduct himself in the world.( This is not so with the opposite side, which has no connection to him, and should certainly not be his side.) Will iyh continue posting the sicha later.[/I]

Last edited by TzenaRena on Tue, Aug 16 2005, 7:37 am; edited 1 time in total

TzenaRena

Tue, Aug 16 2005, 6:21 am

However this “side”- tzaddi - my side - which for the Jew, is identified with Torah, is still only a side, not his entire existence. Because, in this world, which was created with the name Elokim (G-d as He relates to creation) and conceals G-dliness, it is not apparent that one must follow the Torah; it is even possible to conduct oneself opposite of Torah. The reason for this is to bring the world to be transformed, that also the “side” of the world, should on its own admission agree to the guidelines of the Torah

So since the Torah “depends” on Israel to transform the world and its inhabitants, that they should accept the instruction of the Torah. - It was given for the sake of bnei yisrael, and “the thought of bnei yisrael preceded the thought of the Torah”- therefore a Jew is a concerned party, and partial to the Torah, on the side of the Torah. The question therefore arises: If so how can the Jew truly affect and transform the world; is the world not simply taking on the Jew’s recognition of Hashem, but it is not its own? For the world to become a dira lo yisbarech b’tachtonim (a dwelling place for Hashem in the lowest of worlds) it would need to have internal, integral recognition of G-d.

Therefore a Jew comes down, a neshomo in a body, with free choice; his essential connection to Torah and Mitzvos does not compel him to act accordingly;he has both a good side and an opposite side, with each one having influence on him. He adds a yud to the tzad, choosing-“ uvacharta va’chaim - life”, the right side becomes “tzaddi, my side, his side – and “Hakadosh Baruch Hu assists him” to save him from the yetzer hora.

The Rebbe compares this to the two aspects of “Moshe” and “ish ho’elokim”. Moshe – ‘from the water I have drawn him’ (a source higher than world) and openly connected with elokus, with Torah, which is master over the world, being that the world was created for the sake of Torah, and Yisrael. With this power he can transform the world and bring down G-dly revelation.

Ish– being similar in physicality to the bodies of the nations, is a state that from the side he chooses life and becomes ish ho’elokim.. Now, since it was through bechira, being (outwardly) an “ish” a neshomo in a physical body in the world – he has the potential to transform the world and its inhabitants, in a way that also they should “agree” to obey the instructions of the Torah ; this is in a pnimiusdike way, bringing down and revealing G-dliness in the entire world in an established manner. This is all the avodah of “tzadi”, bring down G-dliness in the aspect of world which comes from the Divine name Elokim that conceals G-dliness, but does not oppose it. Since the avodah of refining the world is by investment in the aspect of ish hoelokim, this becomes accepted also in the parameters of the world.

When we say however, that the entire world has to become a dwelling place for Hashem, a permanent dwelling, it is understood that not a corner can remain that opposes G-dliness ch’v.( since then it would be missing in the establishment and permanence of the dwelling), so how does one have the ability to accomplish also in the “tzad shekeneged” a place where there already existed an obstruction, the opposite of Torah r”l?
We must say, that through “Tefillah l’Moshe ish hoelokim” ( which gives the ability to bring down elokus in a permanent manner), one reaches also the lowest of worlds of which there is nothing lower, and also transforms that. And one could say that this is alluded to in that which we add a kuf to “tzadi”, which creates the word tzaddik, in which a kuf descends under the line, as will be explained.

…….According to this, one could say the following allusion in the mizmor tzadik (with the addition of a kuf after tzaddi.)

The explanation of the statement “with (the letter) Hei Olam Hazaeh was created” is known: The world was created with a hei, which has three lines, corresponding to the three levels in the world – Briah, Yetzirah, Asiyah, correspondingly thought, speech and deed:

The roof and right foot (which are joined) correspond to thought and speech, and the left foot which is detached corresponds to deed, on which the verse says “af asisiv” with a hefsek – interruption – even I have made it.”[ (Yishaya 43,7) “Everything which is called in my name and my honor, B’rasiv,I have created it, Yetzartiv,I have formed it, Af Asisiv, even I have made it”.]

Since the “world was created in its entirety” it is understood that even though Olam Hazeh was created with a Hei, that an interruption takes place preceding the world of Asiyah (meaning a he'elem v’hester, concealment which covers up its connection to the higher worlds) but it is however created in its entirety, in a manner that G-d created it with the name Elokim, that there is a world which conceals G-dliness, and the avodah in the world consists of “tzaddi” to choose that Torah and Mitzvos should be the side of a Yid, as above.

Then there is the avodah of Kuf (of Kedusha) -that when one reaches also this place (which is brought about through sin), that from the letter Hei, there should become a kuf, which its left leg descends beneath the line, beneath the place which Hashem created the world to begin with, and the intention in that is “which Elokim created L’aasos – l’saken” – to become a partner with Hakadosh Boruch Hu in the Maaseh B’reishis, the Creatiion, and to refine also this place.

As what Moshe accomplished – in which is expressed the fulfillment of the avodah of a “tzaddik”, that he brings down from “tzaddi” (that Torah and Mitzvos are his side) also in kuf which is below the line.

And Moshe gives koach to every Jew- especially through the aspect of Moshe which is within him (which affects his actual avodah)- that he should reveal the "tzaddik within him", "and your nation are all tzaddikim" as he is connected with “G-d is righteous (tzaddik) in all His ways” and through this – to accomplish in fulfillment his avodah of “tzaddi”, to entirely devote himself to the side of torah, so that it becomes entirely “my side” ( so much so that there is no room for to contemplate another side), both in regard to himself and also in influencing other Jews, in dissemination of torah and Yiddishkeit and dissemination of the wellsprings( of Chassidus) outward and also to influence non-Jews in regard to their 7 mitzvos…..

TzenaRena

Tue, Aug 16 2005, 6:44 am

And in this we will use another occurence for an increase in Divine Service: with Hashgacha Pratis, during these days, a resolution number 104 -numerically tzadi - was issued from the Congress of the country (the representatives of the entire country, which has the power of the "Law of the land is the law - in connection with establishing this year's "11th day of Nissan as a day dedicated especially to strengthen good education etc - foundations in Yishuv HaOlam.... And to do this in a manner of tzaddik, reaching also in chutzah, of which there is no chutzah lower than it.

All the above posted is only part of this very deep and fascinating sicha, as I chose the parts relating to the question of "tzaddik", also some parts are free explanation, not word for word, others are free translation.

Emphasis was added by poster for highlighting the point we are discussing.

Last edited by TzenaRena on Tue, Aug 16 2005, 6:48 am; edited 1 time in total

de_goldy

Tue, Aug 16 2005, 6:45 am

wow - thanks for the great and informative posts! keep 'em coming!

TzenaRena

Tue, Aug 16 2005, 7:33 am

Thanks de_goldy, iyh.